Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2007)
Smoke Signals 3 JULY 15, 2007 Stoirnes Foot IXteaDoimg) STORIES continued from front page munity Fund recently granted the group $50,000 to keep its Music Rx program going for the next year. It was the result of Community Fund Director and Tribal member Shelley Hanson's sugges tion that Looking Wolf contacted CCA. Music Rx is the program for which Looking Wolf produced an album of his stories. They're for young chil dren, ages two to ten. He used to tell them to his son, Tribal member Shane Michael, when Shane was young. At the time, Looking Wolf suffered with grand mal seizures related to a ge netic condition, and they scared his young son, then only a toddler. (Doctors finally found the right medication for Looking Wolf and the seizures are gone.) "I'd tell him stories to get him to go to bed," he said. "I told him other stories, and then started making up the rabbit stories. He really liked them, and I kept making them up and telling them to him until he was seven years old." That was six years ago. Then, a group of things came together for Looking Wolf. "We've lost some Tribal members from cancer in last few years: (Tribal member) Mark Cook, (Tribal El der) Gary LaChance, and others and then when somebody told me that (Tribal Elder) Jackie Whisler had cancer, on the same day, I was at the gym and St. Jude's hospital came on the screen and it was all these kids with cancer. I had been going to Emmanuel Hospital to play for kids with cancer there. And all those things came together. I . y- . 4? thought, 'Let's do a CD that they can use as a fund raiser and that they could give directly to the kids and their families." Enter the rabbit stories that he used to tell Shane Michael. "Talking to my wife, Rhonda, I thought, it'll be nice to give some thing back." "So, I decided to go for this, and in one day, I called the recording studio, music producers, record la bels, musicians and six hours later, I had complete support to make this happen." His producer, Keith Sommers of McMinnville, jumped on board, and Christa Ferguson joined in with great artwork. Family and friends helped him refine the stories. "Keith got me into the studio (In step Studios in McMinnville) and 30 days later it was done." Each of the stories is intended to be "inspirational, healing and up lifting," said Looking Wolf. On the back cover, Looking Wolf describes what's inside: "Six young rabbits, all a different color, gather round an old wooden table preparing for a meal in the home of the Elder Brown Rabbit... 'Come on, settle down, it's time to eat,' the Elder Rabbit said. 'Oh, let's each share a story before we have our meal.'" "The funny thing is the connec tion between Shane and these stories," said Looking Wolf. "They were to help him heal emotionally so it didn't take too much to refine the stories for kids with cancer." After pulling the CD together, the next job was giving it away. Along with all rights and hundreds of copies, Looking Wolf offered the project to CCA for their Music Rx program, for fund raising and for the kids with cancer and their families. The CD will not be in music stores. "There are very few copies out there," said Looking Wolf. "It's very limited." 'The point is we can all do some thing good even if it's just treating each other with kindness. Or making a small donation to an organization like the CCA or helping our local people out when opportunities like the Jackie Whisler fund arise." Looking Wolf has recorded 12 albums on four different record labels, and with this offering, he is taking a break from recording. He also is finishing up his performing schedule. He intends to spend more time with his family. And to get back to the beginning, Shane Michael, who has been growing his hair long, recently told his dad that he, too, had a contri bution in mind. He was growing his hair in order to give it away so that wigs could be made for cancer kids who lose their hair to chemotherapy. "If I never do another thing with my flute," Looking Wolf said, "this will be enough." H r MA fie ' cr cMipi n f Li LL t W in Tribal Council member Wink Soderberg (center) joins other dignitaries in cutting the ribbon at the opening of the new Tualatin pedestrianfootbridge. The bridge is named after a Grand Ronde Chief, Ki-a-Kuts, known for brining people and communities together. Soderberg was a featured speaker at the event. (S.E3.G.W. Teamm UoMs ppireciiattioro BBQ 1 ! 5" . t P ' 7 v i 1 s o - . Q. Tribal member and student of the Grand Ronde Occupational Workshop (G.R.O.W.) Daniel Mooney (I) takes a moment to relax at the "Appreciation BBQ" held on Tuesday, June 1 9. The event was held at the new pow-wow grounds where the G.R.O.W. team built the new Elder seating section. Tribal member Natalie Jackson (above right) helped with the presentation of a Pendleton blanket to a member of the Willamette Carpenters Training Center.
